Refillable food pouch

ABSTRACT

A reusable food pouch for holding solid, semi-solid and liquid foods. In one embodiment, the food pouch includes first and second flexible sheets joined together to form a container. A spout extends from the container and allows food to exit the spout when opened and prevents the food from exiting the spout when the spout is closed. A spout portion of the container secures the spout to the container. The spout portion extends further than all other portions of the container in a direction parallel to the length of the spout. A zipper portion of the container attaches and separates the flexible sheets along the length of a zipper. The length of the zipper is parallel to the length of the spout.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/758,749 filed Jan. 30, 2013, theentire text of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to reusable food containers, and moreparticularly to a refillable food pouch.

Small and portable, prefilled food containers are a great convenience toparents traveling with small children. These prefilled food containersare often filled with fruit or vegetable puree, such as apple sauce.However, portable, prefilled food containers are typically designed fora one-time use. Not only does the single use packaging add to wastedumps, any uneaten food is usually thrown out. Moreover, children withfood allergies may be limited to only a small variety of foods availableto them from single use containers.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Accordingly, one example aspect of the present invention is a reusablefood pouch for holding solid, semi-solid and liquid foods. Food pouchincludes a first flexible sheet and a second flexible sheet. The firstand second sheets are joined together to form a container. A spoutextends from the container and allows food to exit the spout when thespout is open and prevents the food from exiting the spout when thespout is closed. A spout portion of the container secures the spout tothe container. The spout portion extends further than all other portionsof the container in a direction parallel to the length of the spout. Azipper portion of the container is configured to attach and separate thefirst flexible sheet and the second flexible sheet along a length of azipper. The length of the zipper is parallel to the length of the spout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, andadvantages of the invention are apparent from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a reusable food pouch for holding solid, semi-solid andliquid foods in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows the reusable food pouch with a zipper open in accordancewith one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is described with reference to embodiments of theinvention. Throughout the description of the invention reference is madeto FIGS. 1 and 2. When referring to the figures, like structures andelements shown throughout are indicated with like reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a reusable food pouch 102 for holding flowable food inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 showsthe reusable food pouch 102 with a zipper 118 open in accordance withone embodiment of the invention. The food pouch 102 includes a firstflexible sheet 104 and a second flexible sheet 106. The first flexiblesheet 104 and a second flexible sheet 106 are joined to form a container108 with a hollow interior.

The first flexible sheet 104 and a second flexible sheet 106 can be madeof a variety of flexible materials, such as a variety of paper, plasticand/or foil materials, in single or multiple layers, as required by theproduct to be packaged, and provided that such materials are liquidproof and can be thermally bonded or welded in the manner well known tothe flexible packaging industry.

A spout 110 extends from the container 108. The spout 110 allows food toexit the spout when the spout is open, and prevents the food fromexiting the spout 110 when the spout is closed. In one embodiment, thespout 110 includes a screw-on cap. In another embodiment, the spout is apush-pull type spout. The food pouch 102 includes a spout portion 112 ofthe container 108. The spout portion 112 secures the spout 110 to thecontainer 108. For example, the spout 110 can be thermally bonded orwelded to the spout portion 112 in the manner well known to the flexiblepackaging industry. Furthermore, the spout portion 112 extends furtherthan all other portions of the container 108 in a direction 114 parallelto the length of the spout. In one embodiment, the spout 110 centeredalso a side of the container 108.

A zipper portion 116 of the container 108 is configured to attach andseparate the first flexible sheet 104 and the second flexible sheet 106along a length of a zipper 118. Thus, the zipper 118 is a releasablysecurable closure. In one embodiment of the invention, the length of thezipper 118 is parallel to the length of the spout 110.

In one embodiment of the invention, the reusable food pouch 102 furtherincludes a third flexible sheet 120 that forms a gusset between thefirst flexible sheet 104 and the second flexible sheet 106. The thirdflexible sheet 120 may be located opposite the zipper portion 116 of thecontainer 108. Additionally, the length of the zipper 116 can besubstantially equal to the length of the gusset.

According to one pouch design of the present invention allows the userto fill the pouch with food puree or drink. Thus, the pouch is can bereused. The side zipper can open the full length of the pouch and theside opposite the zipper has a gusset. Because of this, container canstand on the gusset while the zipper is open and the container is beingfilled.

The user can use their recipe of food or drink to fill the pouch andhave the same convenience of using a conventional pre-filled container.Furthermore, the pouch is environmentally friendly and reduces wastecompared to conventional single-use container.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A reusable food pouch for holding flowable food,the food pouch comprising: a first flexible sheet; a second flexiblesheet joined to the first flexible sheet to form a container; a spoutextending from the container, the spout allowing the food to exit thespout when the spout is open and preventing the food from exiting thespout when the spout is closed; a spout portion of the containersecuring the spout to the container, the spout portion extends furtherthan all other portions of the container in a direction parallel to thelength of the spout; and a zipper portion of the container for attachingand separating the first flexible sheet and the second flexible sheetalong a length of a zipper, the length of the zipper being parallel tothe length of the spout.
 2. The reusable food pouch of claim 1, furthercomprising a third flexible sheet forming a gusset between the firstflexible sheet and the second flexible sheet.
 3. The reusable food pouchof claim 2, wherein the third flexible sheet is located opposite thezipper portion of the container.
 4. The reusable food pouch of claim 2,wherein the length of the zipper is substantially equal to the length ofthe gusset.
 5. The reusable food pouch of claim 1, wherein the spout iscentered along a side of the container.